Apparatus for making concrete structural shapes



Dec. 16, 1958 A. HENDERSON 2,864,150

APPARATUS 4FOR MAKINGCONCRETE STRUCTURAL SHAPES Filed Nov. s, y1955 5 sheets-sheet 1 Dec. 16, 1958 i A. HENDERSON 2,864,150

APPARAUs FoR MAKING CONCRETE STRUCTURAL SHARES Filed Nov. 9, 1955 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 QL B527* //voEPso/u 1.5 @mi v BY m Dec.`16`, 1958 A. HENDERsoN v2,8641,50 1

APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONCRETE STRUCTURAL SHPES` 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov.' 9, 1955 A/Lf.

United States Patent O i APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONCRETEV STRUCTURAL' SHAPES The apparatus of this application is particularly suitable for making various precast reinforced concrete building units such as the I-beams, channels, Z-beams, T-beams and H-columns disclosed in my co-pending patent application Serial No. 545,891, filed November9, 1955, and can also be used in making rectangular concrete units.

In the units disclosed in the said application, there are a great number of variations in the heights, widths, flange thicknesses, web thicknesses, and I here disclose a simple apparatus for their manufacture.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one of my hinged lattice frame mold side walls, in its closed and smallest position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view and said mold side wall, in a fully open position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the mold side wall shown in Fig. 2, on the line IIL-III.

Fig. 4 is` anelevation of a larger adjustable hinged lattice frame mold side wall; i

Fig. 5 isa plan view of a connected pair of mold side walls shown in Fig. 4; l p Fig. 6 shows a section through an assembly of mold iside walls similar to those shown'in Figs. 1 and 4, adjusted tolessthan full height;l g Y Fig. 7 shows assembled mold side walls extended to full height; Y

Fig. 8 shows a section through metal llers for extending the rcore mold side walls;

. Fig. 9 shows a section through a double adjustable core for a channel-shaped floor slab;

. Figs. l andV 11 each shows sections through one of the oor slab mold side walls of Fig. 9;

. Fig. 12 shows a section through a double adjustable core and a hollow concrete unit formed thereby, and Fig. 13 is a sectional view of a moded form of the cores shown in Fig. 6. f

f Referring toFigs. 1, ,2 and 3, and adjustable form 1 having sideframesA each of which is made up of two pairs of `two oppositely-disposed angle bars 2 that serve as corner bars for the'form and are movably connected by hinged struts or links 3. At each end of the vangles 2, spaced holes 4 are provided, and a strut-like brace member is bolted through these holes, to regulate the required height of themold sideiframe. This height will be in increments of one inch, and precast concrete units with 2 variations in height can be accommodated. A plywood or steel platel ller 6 `can be clipped to struts 3 or the angles 2. Adhesive tape 7 can be used to cover the prepared gap 8 which allows the upper angle to move downward and release the mold side wall from contact with the casting. Y l

i -A moldl side wall 9 in Fig. 4 has upper and lower angles 10.- and.` hinged struts or links 11. Holes 12 are for securing a'strut-like tie member such as 5 which holds the mold side wall to the required height.

The adjustable mold side walls 1 and 9 are made in -ft. lengths and have connecting angles 4a as in Figs.

. Y Patented Dec. 16, 19,58

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. 2 Y 1, 2 and 3, and 13 in Fig. 4. The mold in Fig. 1 is smaller than mold side wall 9 Figs. 5 and 6 show mold side Wall shown shownl in Fig. 4. side walls 1 abutting mold sidewalls 9. The side walls 9 are slidable and are held by adjusting struts 14. When the side walls 9 are moved in opposite directions, the distance between them is changed. Y 4

Fig. 6 shows the assembled mold side walls 1 and 9 resting on a fiat casting bed 15. This view shows the mold side wallslv acting as'cores for the webs of the flanged concrete units. The assembled mold side walls are shown as in the smallest position possible, but can be extended vertically a considerable height. End mold walls 16 are shaped to suit the shape of the concrete unit made in the mold.l

To operate these adjustable assembled molds, the side walls are set to the desired height, and all the form walls are clamped together against mold end walls 16. After the concrete has gained suicient strength, the mold walls 1 and 9 are released by sliding them past each other and then pulling the mold sides en masse ahead on the Vcasting 'bed V15 and settingup the mold side walls again. It would be possibleto obtain several pours a day with each set `of mold side walls. The mold side walls can be collapsed as shown, or they can be tapered as shown in Fig. 13. After removing the mold side walls ahead, the cast concrete units are allowed to rest where cast until they are strong enough to be picked up and removed to a stock pile.

Fig. 7 shows the mold side walls 1 and 9 extended to full-height and extensions 17 can be added to gain still greater height. A larger sized mold side wall may be necessary to make the use of extensions 17 unnecessary. In order to extend core mold side walls 1, extension plates 18 shown in Fig. 8 can be bolted to the core angles through plates 19. To make a Z-beam, blocking 20 is used to blank out the diagonally opposite anges of the I-beam cavity, and if a channel beam is required, then two directly opposite llanges of the I-beam cavity are blanked out. If a T-beam is required, the' two lower ilanges are blanked out, but leaving the web to extend the fullheight of the unit. Fig. 8 shows core extension plates to suit the flange extensions of the beams.

Figs. 9, l0 and 11 are all members of a mold for making channel-shaped concrete floor or roof slabs of different widths and heights and different leg thicknesses. A mold 21 has upper and lower corner angles 22 that are secured by adjusting struts 23 for horizontal movement in providing the desired width of core, and adjusting struts 24 regulate the height of the core 21. Struts Z3 and 24 are secured to the same corner angles 22, and llers 25 areheld in place by tapes 26. The mold side Walls 27 are assembled a short distance away from the slab core 21 and all form walls resting upon a bed 28, and adjustable struts 29 are secured to angles 30. If the mold side walls 27 are too short, extensions 31 `will be bolted to the upper angles 30. This apparatus as' shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 provides a simple means `for obtaining channel-shaped concrete oor or roof slabs of different widths and depths. A plywood or steel plate 32 is shown resting -on the upper adjusting struts 23. Adhesive tapes 33 cover the small gaps between the plate 32 and the upper angles 22. The tapes keep concrete from packing into the gaps and preventing release of the core. A metal core 32a is used when concrete slabs require cross ribs for Vbracing the legs of the slab. When the mold 21..is released, it slips past and under the core 32a. Only the bottoni of the slab concrete cross ribs rest on the mold 21. A loose tie 32b pulls core 32a down when the slab is lifted out of the mold.

Fig. 12 shows a four-way collapsible core 35 having corner angles 36 connected to slidably adjustable struts 37. A rubber sleeve 38 prevents concrete from getting into the gaps 39. This core is useful in making hollow precast `concrete units shown at 40.

'Fig 1 3 Ashows a modified tapered vcore member 41 which will allow the core to be extracted -without collapsing the core 41. In this type of core, extension pieces 18 'asshown in Figs. 7 and 8 are not necessary. lCorner angles are bolted to ties '43, and angles 42 are -moved similar to angles in Fig. 5, which has ties 14 Similar to the ties 43. The gap, between angles 42 is covered by rubber 44 which completely covers the core 41 and is tucked in between the core 41 and the mold wall 9. The angles 42 are moved vertically -by adjusting struts 45'. Bolts 46 lpassing through these struts and members 11 clamp the taper core 41\to:themold side walls 9. Hand holes can be provided inthe angle 10, so that the bolts 46 .can be reached. This vtype of core can be moved both horizontally and vertically. A pin 47 is provided for insertion in holes in the core 41, for vertical adjustment, and an extension 48 provided when needed for greater height.

The rubber or elastic material 44 which may be absorbent or non-absorbent is detachably secured to the core member 41. This type of elastic cover lessens suction and it slightly pulls away from the core 41 and gradually loosens its contact with the green molded unit when the core 41 is extracted.

This elastic cover stretches and allows the core 41 to be extracted sooner than if the core had direct contact with the freshly molded unit, thus making it possible to place the mold side walls into quicker cycles of operations.

I may attach turnbuckles to oppositely-disposed mold side walls and use the turnbuckles to provide horizontal forward and backward movements of the two oppositelydisposed mold side walls including their cores. To make extra Vdeep precast reinforced concrete flanged shapes, I can superimpose the hinged lattice yframe mold side walls, including hinged lattice frame cores. These superimposed frames can be bolted together. In all cases, the vcore moves independently of the straight hinged lattice frame mold side walls.

The concrete shapes use standardized reinforcing steel cages, and I propose to set spaced-apart reinforcing -steel cages on vthe casting bed, and after releasing the hinged lattice framed mold side walls from the green concrete shapes, I pull the mold side walls endwise untilthey are positioned between the spaced reinforcing steel cages, such as the reinforcement shown in my copending application, afterwhich the molds are iilled with concrete. The elasftic cover for the core is detachable and is used to reduce suction as the elastic cover sticks to the concrete unit and gradually frees itself from the unit.

I claim as my invention:

l. Mold apparatus for making concrete shapes of elongated form, comprising a frame-work having two pairs of corner bars spaced in relatively opposed relation to form space for a mold cavity, struts, pivotally connected at their ends to the bars of each pair, each pair of bars and its struts forming a collapsible mold sideframe and the struts in each side-frame being parallel to one another and foldable relative to their bars, brace members independent of said struts and connected to the bars of each pair and releasably holding them at desired distances apart, to thereby vary the effective width of the side-frames, and filler members supported at the inner faces of the side frames, at opposite sides of the said space.

2. Mold apparatus for making concrete shapes of elongated form, comprising a pair ofmold side frames that are spaced apart to provide space for a mold cavity, each frame including upper and lower members that are connected by parallel struts which are pivoted to the said members, whereby the said-members are movable toward and from each other, for expansion and contraction of the side-frame, brace members non-parallel tothe said struts and independent thereof, and means for adjustably connecting the brace members to the said upper and lower members, at various angular positions relative to the struts to thereby hold the said members at desired distances apart. y

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the side frames are slidably supported on a casting bed, and a plurality of pairs of similarly formed side frames are supported on the bed, and the upper .and lower lframe members of one pair are respectively connected by horizontal struts that are pivotally connected to the upper and lower frame members of the next adjacent pair of side frame members, to thereby provide for adjustment of the space widths between the various side frames.

' 4. Mold apparatus as yrecited in claim 2, wherein the said upper and lower mold frame members are-connected to other upper and lower side-frame members that extend vertically beyond the .uppermost and lowermost iirstnamed mold frame members, and are connected together by hinged struts, the said extended portions serving as mold walls that extend higher and lower than the firstnamed mold side frames, to thereby form a mold cavity of I-beam shape.

5. Mold apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein those mold side-frames which are of the lesser height vare adjustable toward and from the other side frames, to vary the thickness Vof a b eam web.

6. jMold ,apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein the second-named frame members are adjustable vertically independently of the first-named side frame members.

7. Mold apparatus for making concrete, that comprises four'corner mold frame bars in rectangular formation, two series of struts that respectively pivotally connect each .corner frame member to the next two adjacent corner frame members, the struts of each series being parallel with one another, for collapsing and expansion movements of their associated corner frame bars, mold wall elements bridging the spaces between the corner frame bars, and means independent of said struts, for releasably holding the bars at various rigidly set relative spacings. Y

8. Mold apparatus for elongated shapes, that comprises Va pair of spaced mold side-frames each of which includes upper and'lower members pivotally connected to struts for vertical expansion and contraction, a second mold side-frame that has upper and lower members connected to the first-named upper and lower members, of one ofthe first-named side-frames at the inner side thereof, and being of shorter vertical dimension than the first-named side frames, struts pivotally connecting the second-named frame members, for expansion and contraction vertically, means independent of the struts for releasably 'holding the various upper and lower side frame members at various vertical spacings, and means forming side walls for a mold cavity, at the inner sides of the said side frames.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 907,438 Axium Dec. 22, 1908 1,084,355 Moore Jan. 13, 1914 1,282,607 McElroy Oct. 22, 191'8 1,632,899 Hutchins .Tune 2l, 1-927 1,700,889 Heltzel Feb. A5, -1929 2,315,634 McCall Apr. 6, 1943 2,575,678 Olson Nov. 20, 1951 2,683,913

Honnigtord July 20, 1954 

